Unknowingly, time flew by, and military training was already halfway over.

With the arrival of the new students, a fresh wave of energy surged through Jiang University, and the campus forum was bursting with post after post—sprouting like mushrooms after the rain.

The Finance Department had just wrapped up three grueling days of orientation lectures. After polishing up their summer group project PowerPoint, it was finally lunchtime—and only now did the students have the bandwidth to crack open the forum and catch up on the latest gossip.

The campus forum was one of Jiang University’s trademarks. It was run by a few top students from the Computer Science Department and had been passed down year after year like a precious family heirloom. Every year during the freshman welcome assembly, the forum link was posted by the advisors into the main student group chat.

Thanks to this tradition, the forum’s activity consistently ranked among the top across all universities. You could literally find the answer to any question on there—so much so that Jiang University didn’t even need a physical bulletin board.

And no matter when you opened it, the homepage was always filled with a rainbow of trending posts:

– [Help] Did the snail noodles stall move out of Cafeteria 2?? qaq It doesn’t smell anymore, feels so weird without the stink!

– [Looking for someone] Who’s the guy in the red jersey jogging at South Field last night at 8pm?? Drop contact info plz! (unless he’s taken T-T)

– [Hot] The eternal debate—does this dress look white and gold or blue and black?! Bring in the opposing teams! [dress.jpg]

– [Poll] Li Tao, who’s your pick for top 6th-gen girl group this year??

– [Hot] Freshman from the Art Department, YL, and his muscle boyfriend (?)—a public log of their couple moments! [Someone replied 1 second ago]

Among all these lively threads, the one that really caught eyes was that last 爆 (explosive) post, which racked up over 500 replies in just three days.

For a private forum limited to Jiang University students, that was a downright outrageous number.

There was still a bit of a walk to the cafeteria, and it wasn’t peak lunch rush, so Zhong Mingming tapped into the thread while strolling.

⸻

[Original Poster (OP)]:

That junior Yu and his (maybe?) boyfriend are soooo popular these days! OP didn’t have much class this week, so I went with a friend to people-watch at the field. I was SHOCKED. On day one of military training, the guy was there all day—carrying water, holding his bag, doting on him like crazy. It really looked like they were dating!! Does anyone have insider tea?? Please spill!!! (I don’t know the guy’s name so I’ll just call him “he” throughout this post.)

⸻

[Edit 1]:

Day TWO and he’s back!! Who said he was a one-day wonder?? Today was even sweeter—my bestie saw him massaging Yu-xuedi’s legs during break. It was so natural, like he’s done it a hundred times. I swear, unless they’re dating, I got no explanation!

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[Edit 2]:

Day THREE and yep, still there. At this rate, I feel like he might stick around for all seven days. Can’t believe I’m now shipping our own freshmen CP… Seriously though, it’s been three days—no one’s confirmed if they’re together yet?? If this keeps up, I’m gonna start making up rumors myself!!

⸻

Yu-xuedi?

The surname Yu wasn’t exactly common, and in Jiang Cheng, there was only one family he could think of that matched.

Zhong Mingming froze, and immediately a beautiful, delicate face popped into his mind.

But just as the image appeared, he forcefully brushed it away.

No way it was him. That person had grown up with Brother Xu as childhood sweethearts. Their families were close, and from what Xu Baicheng said, they were even supposed to get engaged in the future. How could he possibly be dating someone else?

Convinced, Zhong Mingming kept scrolling.

At first, it was just the usual “aaaahhh” and “camping for updates” type replies. But then—the first candid photo appeared.

The further he scrolled, the more Zhong Mingming couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

He didn’t even think—just reached out and grabbed the arm of the person walking ahead. “Brother Baicheng!”

Xu Baicheng stumbled a little, clearly annoyed. “What?”

“Look at this post.” Zhong Mingming shoved the phone into his face. “Is… is that Yu Li? Is he dating someone?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Baicheng snatched the phone. His eyes scanned the screen, and once he finished reading, he let out a low, scoffing laugh. “People really love making things up.”

He pointed at the man in the photo with thinly veiled disdain. “He’s the bodyguard the Yu family hired for Yu Li. Everyone in Jiang Cheng knows. They’re just close, that’s all. How could he be his boyfriend? You think the Yu family would let their youngest son date a bodyguard? These wild rumors—you people actually believe this crap?”

Zhong Mingming blinked, seemingly convinced. He took the phone back, muttering, “Oh… so that’s how it is. I mean, the post sounded pretty convincing. At first glance, it did look real…”

Xu Baicheng shot him a sharp look, and Zhong Mingming awkwardly tucked the phone away. “Er, you know how these girls get—shipping random pairings just for fun. Besides, Yu Li grew up with you, Brother Baicheng, childhood sweethearts and all… With you around, how could he possibly like someone else, haha…”

Xu Baicheng gave him an icy glance, then turned and walked off.

Zhong Mingming stood there, watching his back, mumbling, “Isn’t he just a bodyguard? Why does Brother Baicheng look so… bothered by it…”

⸻

Today, the weather was a rare blessing—the first overcast day since military training began. Big clouds drifted across the sky, blocking the scorching sun, and an occasional breeze brought a rare hint of coolness.

Yu Li stood on the familiar rubber track, zoning out while staring up at the clouds, thinking: There’s no wind right now. These clouds won’t move for hours.

They had two hours left before dismissal.

After standing a while longer, break time finally arrived. The instructor clapped his hands and said, “Good work today, everyone! Take an extra ten minutes. Regroup in twenty!”

“Yes, sir!!”

To these sore and aching students, those extra minutes felt like a gift from the heavens. They whooped and scattered like happy little birds toward their water stations.

Yu Li walked slowly back to the tree. Lu Qing had already unscrewed the water bottle cap. Once Yu Li sat down, he handed it over.

Yu Li sipped slowly, unfazed by the curious glances being thrown their way.

Having Lu Qing act like a boyfriend was working wonders—there’d been quite a few bold souls testing the waters lately, but none had dared get past Lu Qing’s muscles and their suspiciously ambiguous “relationship.” So far, the number of people who actually made a move? Zero.

Lu Qing was doing his job perfectly. Yu Li was very satisfied.

“Wanna massage your legs?”

The man’s deep voice came from beside him.

Yu Li handed the now-empty bottle back and shook his head. “Nah.”

Three days of standing had gotten him used to it. Once he got home, showered, and massaged his legs, he’d be fine. Plus, doing it in this sweaty training uniform wasn’t exactly comfy.

Lu Qing looked a bit disappointed.

Yu Li glanced over, catching that expression in full. The corners of his lips curled slightly, and he tugged on the hem of Lu Qing’s shirt. “Touch up my sunscreen.”

Even if it was cloudy, sunscreen still mattered. He aged faster if he didn’t protect his skin—which was exactly why Yu Li hated being out in the sun.

Usually, he did this himself. Naturally, Lu Qing assumed that again and handed him the sunscreen.

But Yu Li didn’t take it. Instead, he looked straight at him, voice slow and lazy, “Too tired—do it for me.”

Lu Qing stared at Yu Li’s still-pale face, even after three days of sun. He swallowed hard and slowly put the sunscreen away again. “I’ve never… done it before.”

His only skincare product was some men’s moisturizer that Qin Yue had given him. But he never used it—too much trouble.

Usually, a splash of water on the face and he was good to go. Sunscreen was… uncharted territory.

If anyone else had asked, he would’ve flat-out refused or just slapped it on carelessly. But Yu Li—so delicate and fair-skinned—he couldn’t risk hurting him with his calloused hands.

“It’s not hard,” Yu Li said, not letting him off that easy. “Squeeze out a coin-sized amount, half for each side of the face. Spread it in one direction.”

Sounded simple, sure, but Lu Qing was still nervous.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to say no.

Before he could even respond, Yu Li had already leaned in, presenting that flawless, pale face.

Lu Qing took a deep breath, squeezed out the sunscreen into his palm, dabbed it with his fingertip, and gently—very gently—touched Yu Li’s right cheek.

The boy had only just turned eighteen this year. His face still had a touch of baby fat. His skin was tender and soft—when pressed, it sunk slightly, like a mochi puff. The sensation made Lu Qing want to sigh out loud.

This face, the one that haunted his dreams, was right in front of him. As he rubbed the sunscreen in, Lu Qing’s breath grew tight and shallow.

They were so close that Yu Li’s fluttering lashes brushed at his heart like falling leaves on water, sending ripples through his chest. Warm and tingly, it made his heart pound wildly.

And Yu Li noticed.

He let Lu Qing continue rubbing his face, using the moment to blatantly study Lu Qing’s face up close. Since the man didn’t dare look back right now, he could stare all he wanted.

At social gatherings, Yu Li had seen all kinds of good-looking men—online celebs, rising stars, model types. But this rugged, untamed type? Rare.

Not to mention, the guy’s body… was exactly his type.

Having passed Yu Huaiyuan’s elite bodyguard tests, Lu Qing had to be clean, healthy, and completely disease-free.

A clean, top-tier body and face, plus an ambiguous relationship with him.

Without any feelings involved… this setup was perfect for—

“WHAT are you two doing—?!”

The loud, furious voice shattered Yu Li’s thoughts like glass.

He jumped, startled, and instinctively leaned closer to Lu Qing.

But that tiny movement sent the person yelling into overdrive.

Xu Baicheng didn’t even care they were in public anymore—his voice rose another octave: “Xiao Li! Why are you leaning so close to him?!”

Yu Li was still gripping Lu Qing’s arm. When he heard that, his brows scrunched up. But his first reaction wasn’t to respond to Xu Baicheng—instead, he turned his head back and asked Lu Qing, “Did you put on the sunscreen properly?”

Lu Qing rubbed the sticky stuff between his fingers, then scanned Yu Li’s fair face carefully before nodding in satisfaction. “Yeah, all done. It’s evenly applied.”

That totally ignoring-the-world attitude made Xu Baicheng crack for the second time in just a few seconds. “Xiao Li!”

The commotion by the track instantly drew the attention of nearby students who were resting. A possible love triangle? Oh-ho, that kind of juicy drama during the mind-numbing military training was irresistible. In no time, the three of them became the center of attention in the curved training zone.

Yu Li, one of the parties involved, had just been peacefully taking a break, and now suddenly had a ton of eyes staring him down. He felt like cursing Xu Baicheng to death right then and there.

He turned his head toward Xu Baicheng, who was standing on the slope, with a look of pure annoyance and exasperation. His tone was heavy: “I’m in the middle of military training. What the hell are you doing here acting crazy?”

Xu Baicheng felt uncomfortable all over just seeing Yu Li and Lu Qing so close together. At first, he’d written off that forum post as nothing but fans getting carried away, but he couldn’t help overthinking it. Ever since that damned bodyguard showed up, Xiao Li had started snapping at him more and more. He even said—right at the school gate—that he didn’t want to see him at all.

That kind of thing had never happened before.

And then, when he got back to the dorm, he couldn’t resist checking the forum. Only to find out that in just the past three days, while he’d been busy, Yu Li and that damned bodyguard had been fantasized about again and again by the forum crowd.

You could call it rumors—but the candid photos did make the two look really close. And if you wanted solid proof? There wasn’t a shred of it.

But it was exactly that kind of vague, ambiguous relationship that made people’s imagination run wild and emotions spiral.

The more Xu Baicheng looked, the more wrong it all felt. He tossed and turned through his entire lunch break, couldn’t sleep a wink. Finally, since he only had one class in the afternoon and plenty of free time, he headed straight to the training field.

Forget rumors—he only believed what he saw with his own eyes.

And then, he saw that scene. The one that made his blood rush straight to his brain.

Yu Li hated people touching him. Even he, the childhood friend, wasn’t allowed. Xu Baicheng had tried to sneak a handhold before—ten out of twelve times, Yu Li would dodge him.

But now, this bodyguard he’d known for barely a month was allowed to touch him, and not just allowed—their interaction was so casual and intimate, it made Xu Baicheng feel like he was suffocating.

That scene hit him way too hard. If not, he never would’ve lost his cool like this in front of so many people.

Right now, hot-blooded and overwhelmed, Xu Baicheng even ignored the surrounding stares and stormed forward, roaring, “Xiao Li, what’s going on between you two? How can you let him touch you like that?!”

At those words, the eyes of the surrounding gossip-hungry crowd lit up even more.

The forums had been buzzing these past few days, everyone wondering what the deal was between Yu Li and the muscley guy next to him—but no one had dared to ask outright. Now someone had finally stepped up, and of course, everyone perked up their ears and widened their eyes.

Who could resist fresh, piping hot drama during a training break?

Yu Li had zero interest in discussing any of this with Xu Baicheng in a place like this. He leaned against the tree, relaxing his grip, his voice turning chilly: “What’s it to you what our relationship is?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s it to me’?!” Xu Baicheng was triggered again and blurted out, “With the ties between our families, we’re obviously going to be engaged in the future. How is it not my business?!”

As soon as those words dropped, a wave of suppressed gasps rippled through the crowd.

Lu Qing, who had been standing quietly next to Yu Li, finally let his expression go cold. The bones in his hand, resting at his side, cracked as he clenched his fist.

The man spoke in a low voice: “Xiao Shaoye, I’ll go have a word with him. Alone.”

Yu Li let out an irritated grunt. “Just don’t overdo it.”

No sooner had he said that than Xu Baicheng watched, wide-eyed, as the tall man—easily a whole head taller than him—stomped over, radiating pure aggression. The fury in his eyes made Xu Baicheng feel like he couldn’t breathe, and he instantly yelled, “What are you trying to do—”

Before he could finish, Lu Qing’s arm came down on his shoulder, and like a baby chick being picked up, he got dragged away.

Xu Baicheng, a grown man, couldn’t even resist in the slightest. Bent over, head down, struggling all the way, he was publicly hauled across the field like a sack of potatoes in front of all the freshmen, toward the little garden not far away.

The branches and leaves blocked the view of the two men. The crowd strained their necks to see, but it was just too far away. Apart from the rustling of the trees in the wind, there was nothing else to hear.

A few instructors had seen the whole thing. They looked at each other nervously, worried it might escalate into a fight. Just as they were about to rush over to break it up, someone suddenly bolted from the other path of the garden—like he was being chased by a ghost—and fled in a panic.

One second later, Lu Qing brushed aside the branches and returned to Yu Li’s side under the shocked stares of the freshmen.

Yu Li was still watching Xu Baicheng’s scrambling silhouette. When Lu Qing came back, he looked up curiously and tugged him down to sit on the grass. “Did you hit him?”

Lu Qing answered honestly, “Almost.”

“Good,” Yu Li let out a breath of relief. “If you’d actually hit him, and the Xu family came knocking, that’d be such a pain…”

Then he asked, “Since you didn’t hit him, why was he so freaked out?”

Lu Qing tugged at the corner of his mouth. “He’s just a wimp. Once he realized he couldn’t break free from me, he chickened out.”

Yu Li: “Just that?”

Lu Qing paused, clearly reluctant to say the word in front of Yu Li.

But under the increasingly sharp gaze of the Xiao Shaoye, he went quiet for another moment, then ended up repeating exactly what he’d said to Xu Baicheng.

“I told him, if he keeps bothering you… I’ll bust his **.”

Yu Li blinked. His expression froze for a beat, then he looked at Lu Qing in utter disbelief and uncertainty.

Wait. That word you censored—what exactly was it?

Was it… that kind of **?